Rioting at Democratic Convention

I was chatting with a Democrat friend of mine and mentioned that I thought there would be more rioting in the streets of Denver at the 2008 Democratic National Convention then in the streets of Chicago in 1968.

How could this happen? Well, as Senator Barrack Obama does poorly in the polls versus Senator John McCain nerves and emotions may run raw. Former President Bill Clinton will fire up the crowd as well as Senator Hillary Clinton who is scheduled to address the convention. Senator Clinton’s name will be placed in nomination and it is agreed that a roll call vote will be initiated. CBS News reports “Rep. Loretta Sanchez says she’s happy for the chance to vote for Hillary Rodham Clinton at the Democratic National Convention — and she predicts that as many as half of the Democrats in the House could join her.”

But the idea is at some point someone will move to suspend the vote and to nominate Senator Obama by acclamation, a voice vote. This is when all hell will break loose. A minority may yell no, but will sound louder than the majority yelling yes. The Chair will rule that the ayes have it, and those voting no will storm outside.

Outside there will already be protesters fired up:
- Anti-war protestors annoyed that Senator Obama is only pledging to remove combat troops from Iraq leaving 60,000 U.S. troops in Iraq indefinitely
- Anti-war protestors annoyed that Senator Obama is pledging to add U.S. troops to and to intensify the war in Afghanistan
- Protestors concerned about global warming and against any use of fossil fuels annoyed that Senator Obama has indicated that he will support offshore oil drilling
- Protestors that have worked all their lives concerned about money in politics, working for public financing of elections annoyed that Senator Obama reneged on his pledge to become the first presidential candidate to reject spending limitations and public financing
- Protestors concerned about privacy and the Bush administration secret surveillance annoyed that Senator Obama voted to grant telecommunications companies retroactive immunity

Many Democrats are still enamored with Senator Obama including Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi who recently introduced Senator Obama saying he is a “leader that God has blessed us with at this time”. My Democrat friend is expecting great unity and a love fest in Denver. Well, we will shortly see.